Recently in interviews Category
Though many, many more music journalists are on Twitter, these are the people I noticed interacting with the publicists I interviewed the most. Oodles of thanks to @nightafternight: Steve Smith, New York Times, Time Out New York; @anastasiat: Anastasia Tsioulcas, Gramophone, Variety; @gsandow: Greg Sandow, Wall Street Journal, ArtsJournal; and @sethcolterwalls: Seth Colter Walls, Newsweek for their answers.
These interviews were conducted via Telex machine. Just kidding.
___________________
How long have you been using Twitter?
@nightafternight: Since April 2009.
@anastasiat: I just went back & checked my profile--since Sept. 8, 2008. Huh. Had no idea it had been that long.
@sethcolterwalls: Since August 2008.
@gsandow: Six to nine months, can't remember exactly.
Where you motivated by personal or professional reasons?
@nightafternight: The two are largely inextricable in my experience, but personal was probably the initial catalyst. The short answer is that I was frustrated by my inability to keep my blog updated on a reasonably regular basis, primarily as a result of the promotion and expanded workload I took on at Time Out last August. I very badly missed having a personal, interactive outlet for thoughts and observations that didn't necessarily extend from either of my jobs, but wouldn't necessarily exclude them, either, since they're a large part of who I am. The long answer is here.
@sethcolterwalls: My last job strongly encouraged that I take the plunge right around the time I was becoming curious about what was happening on Twitter. So both.
@anastasiat: Both, honestly.
@gsandow: Motivated by curiosity, and then by professional interests.
These interviews were conducted via Telex machine. Just kidding.
___________________
How long have you been using Twitter?
@nightafternight: Since April 2009.
@anastasiat: I just went back & checked my profile--since Sept. 8, 2008. Huh. Had no idea it had been that long.
@sethcolterwalls: Since August 2008.
@gsandow: Six to nine months, can't remember exactly.
Where you motivated by personal or professional reasons?
@nightafternight: The two are largely inextricable in my experience, but personal was probably the initial catalyst. The short answer is that I was frustrated by my inability to keep my blog updated on a reasonably regular basis, primarily as a result of the promotion and expanded workload I took on at Time Out last August. I very badly missed having a personal, interactive outlet for thoughts and observations that didn't necessarily extend from either of my jobs, but wouldn't necessarily exclude them, either, since they're a large part of who I am. The long answer is here.
@sethcolterwalls: My last job strongly encouraged that I take the plunge right around the time I was becoming curious about what was happening on Twitter. So both.
@anastasiat: Both, honestly.
@gsandow: Motivated by curiosity, and then by professional interests.
Continue reading Life's a Twitch, Part 3 (The Journalists).
As often as possible, on Fridays I will post interviews with colleagues from the field who are far more knowledgeable than I am on various marketing and publicity topics. This week, we have F. Paul Driscoll, Editor-in-Chief of Opera News, on bewitching divas, the good, the bad, and the ugly of opera blogging, and the basics of how to pitch a glossy magazine.F. Paul Driscoll has been Editor in Chief of OPERA NEWS since 2003. He began contributing to the magazine in 1990 and joined the editorial staff as managing editor in 1998. He was born in New York City and raised in Westchester. His first live opera experience was Tosca at the Metropolitan Opera in 1969, with Renata Tebaldi, Cornell MacNeil and Sandor Konya.
Photo:© Kate Weiman
The current issue of Opera News is the eighth annual DIVA issue. Can you tell us your three best diva/divo stories, or do you not feature-and-tell?
I'll give you one diva story, which happened at my first diva encounter, about twenty-five years ago. I was asked to interview Leontyne Price, who had been one of my idols since I was in high school. We met at the appointed hour, she looked fabulous, I turned on the cassette recorder and ... nothing. I couldn't think of a single question. There was complete silence in the room, except for the little scritch, scritch, scritch sound of the cassette preserving dead air for posterity. She smiled graciously. I was still blank. She raised her eyebrows. I cleared my throat -- very loudly -- and said, "Uh ... Miss Price ... this is ... this is one of the greatest moments of my life ... uh, really." Very smooth, right? I wanted to die. But I hadn't counted on the fact that Miss Price had probably encountered an idiot interviewer at least once or twice before. She crossed her legs, leaned forward, looked me dead in the eye and said, "Mr. Driscoll, I do not know who has coached you to say such bewitching things, but you do it divinely. Prrrrrrrrrrray continue!" In other words, she put me completely at my ease by treating me like a professional -- a real act of faith in her part on that particular morning -- and we had a great interview, thanks to her. She's a very classy, generous lady -- which most real divas are, in my experience.
What is the staff responsibility breakdown at Opera News and how has it changed since you've been there?
We have an editorial staff of eight, including our art director and our editorial production director. Features are assigned by Brian Kellow, our features editor; each of the other editors -- senior editor Louise Guinther, online editor Adam Wasserman, managing editor Oussama Zahr, assistant editor Tristan Kraft -- has assigning or editing responsibility for at least one of the back-of-the book-departments.
The biggest change at OPERA NEWS within the last decade has been the movement of more work in-house -- not only by-lined features and departments, but a great deal of pre-press and production work that used to be out-sourced is done here in the offices of OPERA NEWS by Greg Downer, our art director, and Elizabeth Diggans, our editorial production director. We also have our website, www.operanews.com, to supply with content and maintain. In other words, the workload has increased, but the size of the staff has not.
Do you ever use freelancers who don't specialize in opera/classical music? That is, a medical journalist or a fashion writer?
On occasion, we do use freelancers whose expertise is in area outside of classical music: in our August 2009 issue, for example, we worked with Colleen Hill, a fashion historian, on a piece about how designers have tackled the challenges of costuming Violetta in La Traviata. That said, our readers expect us to speak on opera and classical music subjects with authority; therefore, most of the freelancers we engage are highly knowledgeable in those areas. Relatively few are what I would call "specialists," however. As you can tell from the author bios that accompany our features, we use writers who also work as architects, translators, performers and academics.
So...a glossy, printed magazine...about opera...in 2009. You knew the question was coming: how long before you go online-only, if ever, and do you think being web-only entity will alienate your current subscribers?
We currently have no plans to go online-only. We are now in the process of re-designing operanews.com; we are scheduled to go live with the re-design in January 2010. Operanews.com is a great way to expand what we are able to offer our readers -- not only in terms of content, but in terms of flexibility. But it's our intention to maintain the integrity of the printed publication.
How does the website promote the printed magazine and vice versa? Which is the bigger traffic driver to the other?
Right now, the cross-traffic flows from print to online, generally for content reasons. We have online-only features -- audio surveys, for example -- that are promoted in the print edition, as well as interviews and performance, recording and video reviews that are online-only.
Craig Newmark, the founder of Craigslist, was the cover of Wired magazine last month. The tagline reads, "Killers. Hookers. The death of newspapers. Craig Newmark gets a lot of blame." How has the popularity of opera bloggers changed opera journalism for better or worse? In August, the magazine published an 1800-word piece called, "Voice of Opposition" about blogger La Cieca/James Jorden. In the "Opera Navigator" section on the New York Times' website, the blog Opera Chic and Opera News are given equal treatment. Is the sky falling? What does all this mean??
I don't believe that bloggers have changed the face of journalism -- opera or otherwise -- as much as the shifting economics of the print media business model. The costs of putting content on paper are high; traditionally, the revenue streams that supported those costs came from advertising dollars and from subscription and newsstand sales. The formulas for monetizing online content are relatively new: it's anyone's guess as to how this process will evolve. Opera blogs have made the discussion of opera more lively, to be sure: the best bloggers are highly opinionated writers. But there's a big step between having an opinion and being able to write criticism -- or deliver a well-reported, responsibly researched piece of journalism. Not all opera blogs are created equal; some -- such as Opera Chic -- are very well-written; some are not. The "Opera Navigator" section on the NEW YORK TIMES website presents links to a number of different information sources about opera, which is a smart way for the TIMES to appeal to its broad readership base.
Do singers' blogs and Twitter feeds have journalistic value? Do you consider them competition for readers or useful tools to shed new light on the art form?
Singers's blogs and Twitter feeds offer a different perspective on the art form than journalism does. Those blogs and Tweets are highly subjective, naturally. I don't consider them competition for magazine readers. But then again, I don't think most opera singers would consider me competition if I started to sing.
Most of the pieces in the print version of Opera News are 1500+ words. Do you find that holds appeal for freelance writers and readers alike or, in these ADD times, is everyone just looking for quick and short blurbs of information?
Our readers -- and our writers -- seem happier with longer pieces, but we try to vary the length of features; not every subject merits 2, 000 words. The features in the course of the last six months of OPERA NEWS have ranged in length from 650 words to 3, 500 words. Quick hits of information are great as Breaking News items on operanews.com or as entries in Opera Watch, but I believe our readers enjoy pieces that can examine an issue or a personality in some depth.
Often it's hard for me, as a publicist, to know in advance what effect press hits are going to have on my artists' careers; does NPR sell CDs or simply raise an artist's profile, does a good New York Times review matter, does a bad New York Times review matter? Each issue of Opera News always has a great balance of rising and established stars. How do you think coverage in the magazine can affect a singer's career at different points in the career?
My observation is that coverage in OPERA NEWS can help to get an artist attention, but it is the sustained quality of an artist's work that has the biggest effect on an artist's career. It's our responsibility as editors to give our readers the right amount of information about an artist at the right time. For example, the "Sound Bites" section of the magazine has been proven to be a highly effective way to give artists who weren't ready for a major OPERA NEWS feature an appearance within our pages: Anna Netrebko, Natalie Dessay, Joyce DiDonato, Elina Garanca, René Pape, John Relyea, Jonas Kaufmann, Lawrence Brownlee and Philippe Jordan were all "Sound Bites" subjects before they became front-rank opera-house stars.
What is the most effective way for publicists to secure a story or a profile in Opera News?
The most effective way for any publicist to secure a story or profile in ANY magazine is to present a pitch that reflects a working knowledge of the magazine. That starts with the magazine's readership. Who are they? Why do they buy the magazine? Clearly, our readers buy a magazine called OPERA NEWS expecting its editors to present opera as topic one, but that doesn't mean that every "opera story" is right for us. For example, most publicists don't realize is that our coverage of opera is national or that our readership is national. (Did you know that more than ten percent of our subscribers live in California?) You'd be surprised at the number of pitches we get that are clearly "local news," better suited to a local newspaper than a national magazine. (A world premiere at the Met or Lyric Opera of Chicago or Santa Fe Opera stands a pretty fair chance of being national news; a new production of a standard repertory work at a small local company, however worthy, is not.) An effective pitch also takes into account our publication schedule: we are a monthly magazine, and work far in advance. You'd be surprised at the number of pitches we get touting an event that's happening in ten days. And -- last but not least -- it helps a pitch if the publicist has read at least one issue of the magazine and can identify just where in OPERA NEWS a potential story might fit best. Not every story is a cover story.
What does the "F" in F. Paul stand for? If you answer "F You", you'll be my hero.
Today, it stands for Fractious. Most days it stands for Francis.
At the ends of weeks, I post interviews with people who know a lot more about aspects of the proverbial business than I do. Two weeks ago, theater blogger Jaime Green told us she would blog professionally if given the opportunity. This week, we have Jerry Yeti, who blogged at Yeti Don't Dance for just about three years before (sort of) giving it up, possibly for good. On November 8, 2007, you posted that you would not 1. become a blogger blogging about not blogging and 2. that your blog, Yeti Don't Dance, was not dead. There are six posts after that, from the same day, from November 12, 2007; December 5, 2007; January 28, 2008; December 31, 2008; and March 10, 2009. Have you officially called time of death?
Is this a deposition? Every once in a while I still get a delusion that I have something to interesting to say and that people other than my mom want to hear it. Like most, I started blogging because I had perspectives about things but no outlet. One of my first posts (pre-music) I blogged was about this medieval toilet you could buy, and as an architect (during the day) I dreamt about specifying that someday for a client. If I ever design a castle, I know the perfect throne.
I eventually became over conscientious of my audience. What killed my blog in the end -if it is indeed dead- was self-doubt. I began to feel that people didn't care what I had to say. The response I had during the blog's heyday was that people did care, but somewhere along the line I myself no longer believed it. I was like Tinkerbell, but it was me who failed to clap for everyone else.
Let's do this interview like The Notebook and flash back to the very beginning. Why did you start writing a music blog in 2005? Your first post reads, "As reported in Pitchfork today, LCD Soundsystem will hit Webster Hall (cringe) on June 10... but without M.I.A. I guess. I wonder why?". You really jumped right into the content there, didn't you? No "I'm X and I'm starting a music blog now" introduction? Do you think readers cared who you were and why you were doing this, or is content and access to information all that really matters?
I didn't need an introduction because no one was reading. I was trying to emulate other music blogs and in order to rise to their level, I had to exist as if I always had existed. Maybe I started blogging in 1996 and simply deleted the archives? In fact, yes, that it what I did. I'm the oldest music blog in existence and no even realizes this. And that is why it continues even in its state of suspended animation. It's waiting to go to the fu-ture. What's the Notebook?
What's your day job? Was blogging an escape from the day job? A supplement to the day job? Something you hoped would some day become the day job?
Architecture. Blogging was supplemental to expand my social life, discover new music, and meet new people. I knew the love affair would only last a couple years. One day I'd wake up and be burnt out and move on to something else. My current obsessions are training for a marathon and solving puzzles like Rubik's Cubes and higher order cubes. Neither of these things is conducive to a social life.
What, if anything, did you do to promote the blog when you launched it?
Really complex marketing strategies like commenting on other websites by leaving on-topic thoughts and including a hypertext link in my name. Everyone loves to post anonymously on BrooklynVegan nowadays, but people are missing out on some serious traffic. Back when I was a blogger, we posted our names proudly next our comments, and called each other names to our faces.
Can you explain the "indie rock" blogosphere to us? Does everything filter down from Pitchfork? Or does no one care about Pitchfork. From Brooklyn Vegan, maybe? Are bloggers generally friends/ly or are there Blog Wars?
It's a network of friends really. Everyone knows everyone because you all go to all the same shows all the time. Are they friendly? All but two.
Nothing filters from Pitchfork other than nonsense. People pay attention to it because it's there, like the weather. It fills a vacuum.
Even though you write about a lot of New York-area shows, did you find you had readers from all over the country? Is there a more national focus to a broader indie rock scene, or do bloggers tend to focus on bands from or who come to their area?
NYC is the cauldron to boil in if you want to make it . We have the highest density-per-capita of music bloggers of anywhere, maybe. Indie rock is local in that we get to see out favorite bands repeatedly, but the love for the music transcends state lines. New York State demands sales tax on music love acquired from out of state, but that's a single line on form IT-150.
In your opinion, how relevant are printed music magazines like Rolling Stone, Paste, and Spin today?
I still think there's a place for printed music reviews in newspapers and places like Reader's Digest, but definitely not dedicated music periodicals.
Why did you stop blogging?
- Self-Doubt as explained above
- I saw over 220 concerts in 2006, and even more bands. I was burning myself out.
- Already seen most bands I liked - some many, many times each.
- It's a lot of work. Finding new music, going to shows, reading blogs. I prefer to be lazy.
- Too many emails from publicists - I couldn't filter what was good
- Finally got a girlfriend -unlikely, but true
- Got a Metafilter account. I saw how smart and funny people over there were and I immediately felt dumb and humorless. Much like how I stopped playing guitar after 10 years when I started going to indie rock shows. The last time I played guitar was a song for my Grandma's funeral.
Have your Twitter and Tumblr accounts replaced the blog, or are they completely different? I hear you signed up for Twitter before anyone knew what Twitter was. Do you feel vindicated or annoyed that it's so popular now?
Twitter is easy because it's so brief. Yet, even there I have to concentrate hard on what I have to say and not sound trite. I started it as a joke with reports on BMs (very high level of concentration), but I quickly saw the merits of it beyond that.
In the heyday of Yeti Don't Dance, how often were you pitched by bands and publicists to cover shows?
About as much as I get now. They don't seem to care I haven't blogged regularly in years. It boggles my mind.
What's the most annoying thing a band or publicist ever did?
I've been contacted on instant messenger to follow up on the dozen or so emails I ignored.
How often do you still get pitched?
I got 45 emails from bands and publicists today alone. 35 of them went directly to my spam box, and 10 of them I had to delete personally.
Happy Friday! It's not raining and I actually have an interview to post! This week we have Jaime Green, Literary Associate at MCC Theater in Manhattan and blogger of 5 years. Below she discusses why she started blogging, while she'll keep blogging, and whether or not There Will Be/Should Be Blood in the theater blogosphere. Err..."theatrosphere". Additionally, this marks the first mention of lolcats on this blog.
Jaime Green is a freelance theatre producer and dramaturg, as well as Literary Associate at MCC Theater. She is Artistic Director of Temporary Theatre Company which, true to its name, is now in hibernation. She often considers leaving theatre to teach/garden/become a nutritionist/have a podcast/hide under the covers, but it hasn't happened yet. In addition to her blog, Surplus, she has written for Cheap Healthy Good and Program Notes, the blog of the National Performing Arts Convention. She is a contributing writer to Spezzatino, and would sell a kidney to write for The Awl.
When and why did you start writing a blog?
I started writing a blog before they were even called blogs (at least that I know of). In college some folks had "web journals," and I started one of my own, which I told no one about. I spent more time teaching myself html and perfecting the layout that writing, but I did post one rather fine story about finding a spider in my dorm room.
I started Surplus in August of 2004. I'd started reading some blogs in college, and this was the summer after graduation. I was probably feeling the lack of writing and creativity in my desk-job life, but the conscious reason is in the title - I had (have) a lot of extra ("surplus" - aha!) stuff knocking around my head: daily anecdotes, thoughts, opinions on just about everything. My friends were probably starting to get sick of it, and there was a free blog platform, and I suffer from the delusion that what I have to say is interesting.
Who did you expect to read it?
I didn't really think about that at first, but I was hoping for a similar wide-ranging readership as the blogs that I read - personal blogs (oddly often parents') that were entertaining and engaging, little windows into people's lives. The stuff that gives blogging its narcissistic bad name, but what actually makes it, to me, something special. So, basically, I was hoping it would be read by strangers. Millions and millions of strangers who were fascinated to read about this fake engagement ring I accidentally acquired.
Who ended up reading it?
Well, some strangers, but I've yet to break the millions-and-millions mark. Some friends, though not all of them. Some people I know through the theatre world, which is always at once cool and totally terrifying. The time an actor I know through work introduced me to someone as a blogger. That was scary. But also, "Wow, she reads my blog?" My sister reads it, but I don't think my mother does.
Jaime Green is a freelance theatre producer and dramaturg, as well as Literary Associate at MCC Theater. She is Artistic Director of Temporary Theatre Company which, true to its name, is now in hibernation. She often considers leaving theatre to teach/garden/become a nutritionist/have a podcast/hide under the covers, but it hasn't happened yet. In addition to her blog, Surplus, she has written for Cheap Healthy Good and Program Notes, the blog of the National Performing Arts Convention. She is a contributing writer to Spezzatino, and would sell a kidney to write for The Awl.When and why did you start writing a blog?
I started writing a blog before they were even called blogs (at least that I know of). In college some folks had "web journals," and I started one of my own, which I told no one about. I spent more time teaching myself html and perfecting the layout that writing, but I did post one rather fine story about finding a spider in my dorm room.
I started Surplus in August of 2004. I'd started reading some blogs in college, and this was the summer after graduation. I was probably feeling the lack of writing and creativity in my desk-job life, but the conscious reason is in the title - I had (have) a lot of extra ("surplus" - aha!) stuff knocking around my head: daily anecdotes, thoughts, opinions on just about everything. My friends were probably starting to get sick of it, and there was a free blog platform, and I suffer from the delusion that what I have to say is interesting.
Who did you expect to read it?
I didn't really think about that at first, but I was hoping for a similar wide-ranging readership as the blogs that I read - personal blogs (oddly often parents') that were entertaining and engaging, little windows into people's lives. The stuff that gives blogging its narcissistic bad name, but what actually makes it, to me, something special. So, basically, I was hoping it would be read by strangers. Millions and millions of strangers who were fascinated to read about this fake engagement ring I accidentally acquired.
Who ended up reading it?
Well, some strangers, but I've yet to break the millions-and-millions mark. Some friends, though not all of them. Some people I know through the theatre world, which is always at once cool and totally terrifying. The time an actor I know through work introduced me to someone as a blogger. That was scary. But also, "Wow, she reads my blog?" My sister reads it, but I don't think my mother does.
Continue reading Talk to me about theater blogging.
Because 1. no one wants to read about The Life and Times of Amanda Ameer every day and 2. because there are many, many people out there who know more about publicity and marketing than I do, every week I try and post an interview with someone else in the field. Usually, I do this on Fridays, but that clearly didn't happen last week. Or the week before. But TODAY we have a continuation of the critically-acclaimed (for realz - a few critics e mailed and said they liked it) Life's a Pitch feature Better Know a Publicist. See the Interviews column to your right for the other publicist interviews. Now here's Glenn Petry from 21C Media Group on Publicity 101.
What is the purpose of a press release? And what, in your opinion, is the most important aspect of a press release? How does that element accomplish the purpose?
The purpose of a press release is to provide information that is of essential interest to its readers. In our case this means vital and accurate information about upcoming performances, new recording releases and any artistic activity that resonates with the reader and piques his or her interest.
Similarly, what is the most important aspect of an artist biography? How long should a bio be, ideally? Should it include press quotes? Why or why not?
An artist's biography should tell the story of the artist as interestingly and briefly as possible. Paragraphs listing the various venues where an artist has performed become unnecessary when the artist is well established. Quotes can be helpful if they bring color to the artist's story; they can add both credibility and eloquence to an artist's reputation.
How far in advance of a CD release or concert do you send/e mail press releases? How many times do you usually follow-up journalists after sending the release?
We typically send out initial information about 6 weeks before a concert, tour or recording release (sometimes more, sometimes less, depending on the size and complexity of the project), and then we follow up with one or two 'reminder' or 'tune-in' press releases in the lead-up to the event. As far as following up with individual journalists goes, this is done very much on a case by case basis, again depending on the journalist or outlet being pitched.
In 2009, what do you consider successful coverage for a client's concert? How has the definition of "coverage" changed since you started working in PR? For example, do artist's personal blogs/websites/Twitter feeds count as media coverage?
The definition of success has unquestionably changed in the last 15 or so years since we began working in the classical music industry. There is less 'expert coverage' overall, and more importance is placed on "buzz", general awareness, and word on the street; organic, everything-counts multimedia coverage - including discussion on blogs and social media networks - is vital to the success of any concert today.
Glenn Petry has worked in the music scene - both promoting and performing - for more than 15 years. He co-founded 21C Media Group in January 2000 and has been the Director of Public Relations since its inception. He developed his interest in promoting classical music while touring the US with the experimental rock band Drunken Boat, after which he became a consultant to the classical music industry for a dozen years. Working with both record labels (such as Deutsche Grammophon, Decca and Philips) and artists (such as Cecilia Bartoli, Renée Fleming, Anne-Sophie Mutter, Gil Shaham, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra and many others), he expanded the reach of classical artists beyond the specialist press into the mainstream media.
On the marketing side, Mr. Petry pioneered new ways to present classical music to the public (from CD packaging to music videos) and forged innovative partnerships that created synergistic successes on behalf of classical music, while maintaining his deep involvement in many other musical genres, including jazz, reggae, electronica and world music.
What is the purpose of a press release? And what, in your opinion, is the most important aspect of a press release? How does that element accomplish the purpose?
The purpose of a press release is to provide information that is of essential interest to its readers. In our case this means vital and accurate information about upcoming performances, new recording releases and any artistic activity that resonates with the reader and piques his or her interest.
Similarly, what is the most important aspect of an artist biography? How long should a bio be, ideally? Should it include press quotes? Why or why not?
An artist's biography should tell the story of the artist as interestingly and briefly as possible. Paragraphs listing the various venues where an artist has performed become unnecessary when the artist is well established. Quotes can be helpful if they bring color to the artist's story; they can add both credibility and eloquence to an artist's reputation.
How far in advance of a CD release or concert do you send/e mail press releases? How many times do you usually follow-up journalists after sending the release?
We typically send out initial information about 6 weeks before a concert, tour or recording release (sometimes more, sometimes less, depending on the size and complexity of the project), and then we follow up with one or two 'reminder' or 'tune-in' press releases in the lead-up to the event. As far as following up with individual journalists goes, this is done very much on a case by case basis, again depending on the journalist or outlet being pitched.
In 2009, what do you consider successful coverage for a client's concert? How has the definition of "coverage" changed since you started working in PR? For example, do artist's personal blogs/websites/Twitter feeds count as media coverage?
The definition of success has unquestionably changed in the last 15 or so years since we began working in the classical music industry. There is less 'expert coverage' overall, and more importance is placed on "buzz", general awareness, and word on the street; organic, everything-counts multimedia coverage - including discussion on blogs and social media networks - is vital to the success of any concert today.
Continue reading Glenn Petry, 21C Media Group.
Sometimes it's hard being Amanda. For example, when I think of lots of cool people to interview for (le) blog, and they say yes, and then I don't have time to write the questions? Yes, at times like that it's hard. But at long last, this week we have Juliana Farha and Chris Gruits from the recently re-launched classical music networking hub Dilettante.
Juliana Farha is the Founder and Managing Director of Dilettante Music, the online classical music hub based in London, England. She worked at CBC Radio and as a magazine editor in Toronto before leaving journalism to work for her family business in the musical instruments sector where she was responsible for two innovative, award-winning products.
After obtaining her Masters Degree in Arts Administration and Cultural Policy at Goldsmiths College, University of London, Juliana became convinced that the Internet and especially social media were ideal tools to support classical music and musicians, and to grow the audience for the genre. Dilettante is the embodiment of those ideas.
An American ex-pat and digital music junky, Chris is an Arts Manager with more than 10 years' experience in the classical music sector. Arriving in London by way of the Seattle Symphony, Carnegie Hall and a MBA at Edinburgh University, Chris establishes relationships with arts organizations, record labels and business partners and manages business development for Dilettante. He lives in South London with his wife, the mezzo-soprano, Meg Bragle.
"Dilettante". Explain the name for us. Also, the tagline: "Lead the Classical Music Uprising". Whom are we to rise up against?
JULIANA: My reasons for naming the site Dilettante are somewhat personal. I grew up at a time when it became a commonly-held view that being a 'generalist' with a liberal arts education was a waste of time. Instead, to become productive in the new economy, we had to undertake increasingly specialised training for increasingly specialised work.
I disagree profoundly with that view, and I believe that teaching people to think critically and encouraging their curiosity remains intrinsically valuable. I accept that this might produce a lot of 'dilettantes' - which I define as people driven by a broad intellectual and emotional engagement. In that sense, there's nothing more serious to me than a dilettante, which is how I would describe myself.
More specifically, the classical music world can be daunting because of its history, the depth of the repertoire and the complexity of the music. A certain snobbishness results from that and can stifle the fledgling efforts of new listeners, and the enthusiasm of non-professional players. [I once scandalised a boyfriend by telling him that Dvorak was one of my favourite composers. He subsequently gave me a Beethoven box set, which I read as an aesthetic 'correction'...and things went downhill from there!]
The name Dilettante is a signal that we are finding ways to invite people into what could be a very big tent if they can find the space to listen
'Lead the Classical Uprising' isn't aimed at a person, or group of people per se. It's a challenge to the common claim that classical music is dying.
Who writes your House Blog? Can any member have a Member Blog?
JULIANA: I write the house blog, and the 'musical uprisings'. (This started by accident when we launched a 'user generated' website which - at the beginning - had no users to generate content.) Yes, any member can have a member blog.
I noticed Nonesuch Records has a Member Blog. Nonesuch also has its own blog, though, off its own website. Similarly, I see my e-friend The Omniscient Mussel has a member blog that links to her personal blog off-site. Do you care if the blog posts are the same on Dilettante and the Nonesuch/Omniscient Mussel blogs, or are you ideally looking for unique content?
JULIANA: The Dilettante site is a hub which brings together music, editorial content, ideas and people. We are not especially concerned about unique content, and we would certainly not prioritise that at the expense of aggregating the most interesting and dynamic classical music content on the web. For instance, The Omniscient Mussel has developed a distinctive voice and a loyal following so creating space for her on Dilettante can only enhance our site.
Back to Nonesuch for a moment: Are you encouraging record labels without their own blogs to have Dilettante Member Blogs? How do you envision record label blogs on Dilettante actually selling records?
CHRIS: We encourage record labels to do lots of things on the site - not just creating or importing their own blogs, but setting up profiles and connecting with the Dilettante community. Nonesuch uses Dilettante in a clever way, by keeping members up-to-date about events and information related to their artists, and not just promoting upcoming releases. All of these elements contribute to selling records through the site. More generally, labels are starting to leverage social media as a vehicle for promoting their recordings and Dilettante is one outlet where they can communicate with a targeted audience in an honest and creative way.
Why ask new members to select their "relationship with music", that is, "serious listener", "novice listener", etc.? If I start off as a novice and become more serious because of Dilettante, can I change my profile?
JULIANA: First, you can always change your profile type. The distinctions among musician types is primarily intended for practical reasons - for instance, if someone were looking for a trio in London to play at their wedding, they could use those criteria to hone their search.
As for listener types, this was originally conceived as a way of signaling that 'novice listeners' were welcome on the site. No one has raised it with us before, but if users tell us it's not a useful or meaningful way of describing themselves, we'd certainly change it.
I must admit, I'm skeptical of niche social networking sites. I, like Anne Midgette, feel like there's a limit to existing classical music fans, and that the point of online networking is to find people who don't yet know they're fans. What do you think are the benefits of having a classically-focused site? Also, as Anne points out in her post, a few classical networking sites have started and not really taken off: she cites Classical Lounge, Artist Nation, Classical Music Now, and Classical Connection. What makes the new version of Dilettante stand out?
JULIANA: First, it's important to clarify that Dilettante is a hub (or portal as they used to say) and the social network was always intended to be an element of what we offer, but certainly not the whole thing. Also, it's not clear to us that Facebook or any other social utility is actually making 'fans' of people who weren't already interested.
Our goal is to enable discovery of music and musicians, and to that end we believe we need to provide listeners with compelling reasons to visit Dilettante, whether it's to find a range of 'expert' opinions of the best performance of Transfigured Night, or to find the best quality recording at the best price. New listeners might want advice on the Beethoven concerti but find it intimidating to walk into a record shop and ask (if there is a record shop at all!). While they're on Dilettante, they might discover an mp3 by a trio that just graduated from Curtis, and become a fan. Ordinary social networks don't offer this sort of 360-degree experience, and it's reflected in our numbers. We're now seeing more than 15,000 unique visitors per month from more than 105 countries.
CHRIS: Even so, we believe that niche social networks are the next step in the evolution of online social networking. The ability to connect in a meaningful way with people who share a particular interest or passion creates an important link and like social networks in real life, online networks are situationally relevant - there's no "one size fits all" for every interest and social group people have.
I see you've used Facebook's "Wall" platform and moniker. Are you at all concerned that classical folks who are not familiar with Facebook will be confused by this? Which brings me to the broader question of, how easy is Dilettante to use if someone is not so tech-savvy?
JULIANA: Quite the opposite, actually. On the first version of the site we used 'small talk' to designate a public message (the call to action was 'talk to me'). Many users found this confusing because Facebook's 'wall' had become widely accepted as a standard term for this type of message in the social networking environment.
Regarding less tech-savvy users, we have done usability tests on the new site and addressed areas that we felt were unclear. We plan to do another, more involved set of tests in the next couple of months or so, and this will undoubtedly uncover more questions about whether the user journey is as intuitive as it could be.
There are two important points here, though:
a) the Members area of the Dilettante site is a social network in the accepted sense, and social networking functionality has become very sophisticated very quickly. For that reason, it would not have made sense to work to the least tech-savvy user. The challenge was (and remains) to make complex functionality as intuitive as possible.
b) the Dilettante Music and Events areas are designed to be used by anyone, whether or not they're a member of the Dilettante community (or any other social network for that matter). The Music section functions like any other library-style search where you can use keywords to find information about composers and works, read reviews and discussions, and then click through to buy music or tickets. These areas are complex because of how they aggregate information, but they are not difficult to use.
How does Dilettante interact with actual musical activity? Are there structures to help musicians find gigs, or to find other musicians for a string quartet, for example? Is there a place where instruments are bought and sold, or where teachers in a certain area can be found? Or are the networking elements of Dilettante purely social?
CHRIS: Users have many tools to search for and interact with musical activity. First, they can use the events calendar to upload their recitals, masterclasses, performances, hold auditions and anything else they can think of. Members can post discussions on forums, and use their own blogs - which appear on the members' homepage - to find musicians.
Members' mp3s appear in our library on the page that describes the work they're performing and on Dilettante Radio, so musicians can be found through the music itself, and not just through their member profiles. Also, our members search is very precise and specifically designed to find a user by instrument/skill/location etc, not just a specific person. For instance, you can look for an accompanist in Philadelphia, or a teacher in Houston...
You've just announced a Digital Composer-in-Residence competition wherein one of the prizes is a year-long "virtual residency". What does a virtual residency entail? Is this the first of its kind? Who owns the rights to any work created by that composer during that period?
CHRIS: A virtual residency offers the winning composer a digital space in which to promote their work, facilitate discussions, post podcasts and conduct online master classes, all to an established international audience. We'll be working with the winner to develop a series of activities on the site, which will provide information about what they're working on, the process involved, and their thoughts on new music. To my knowledge it is the first of its kind.
Dilettante is commissioning the winning composer to write a new piece for chamber ensemble over the course of the residency. They will own the rights to that work.
As with the YouTube Symphony, I continue to wonder why great web initiatives need to be validated by "real" live performances. Why will the three composer finalists have their works performed at London's Wilton's Music Hall, and not in a purely online setting?
BOTH: Glad you think it's a great web initiative - we do too! But the Digital Composer-in Residence project was never intended to be a web-only initiative. It reflects the fact that the real world doesn't exist in a parallel universe to the virtual one. For most musicians who are active online, those worlds work together and complement each other - our project does the same. [Besides, we want to have a party and we really love Wilton's!]
Still, a key aspect is that our 'niche' community is built on a common activity and interest, and we are leveraging all aspects of that community to make this project happen, from soliciting entries to attracting judges and performers, and then using our web presence as a viable way for the winning composer to develop their own profile.
In fact, the project progresses work we did last summer on Blank Canvas, our classical club night in East London. The production of Blank Canvas was documented on the site, members were invited to attend at discounted ticket rates, and we produced a high-quality webcast of the event which we posted on Dilettante and YouTube. That way, we supported live performance in a non-traditional venue and we also brought the sites and sounds of London's contemporary classical scene to users elsewhere.
Obviously, a network of any kind is dependent on the quality and/or quantity of its members. Is Dilettante looking for a select group of very active members, or is this a the-more-the-merrier situation? And in either case, how are you getting the word out about this site, and what have been the most successful ways you've recruited new members thus far?
CHRIS: Dilettante already has a group of super-users and this is likely to remain the case over time. Nonetheless, we currently attract members and visitors from more than 105 countries, and these run the gamut from orchestras like the London Phil to organisations like the New England Conservatory and small record labels, to individual listeners and musicians.
For us, then, if Dilettante is to continue to function as a hub it needs to grow in all of these directions - so the more-the-merrier!
Juliana Farha is the Founder and Managing Director of Dilettante Music, the online classical music hub based in London, England. She worked at CBC Radio and as a magazine editor in Toronto before leaving journalism to work for her family business in the musical instruments sector where she was responsible for two innovative, award-winning products.After obtaining her Masters Degree in Arts Administration and Cultural Policy at Goldsmiths College, University of London, Juliana became convinced that the Internet and especially social media were ideal tools to support classical music and musicians, and to grow the audience for the genre. Dilettante is the embodiment of those ideas.
An American ex-pat and digital music junky, Chris is an Arts Manager with more than 10 years' experience in the classical music sector. Arriving in London by way of the Seattle Symphony, Carnegie Hall and a MBA at Edinburgh University, Chris establishes relationships with arts organizations, record labels and business partners and manages business development for Dilettante. He lives in South London with his wife, the mezzo-soprano, Meg Bragle. "Dilettante". Explain the name for us. Also, the tagline: "Lead the Classical Music Uprising". Whom are we to rise up against?
JULIANA: My reasons for naming the site Dilettante are somewhat personal. I grew up at a time when it became a commonly-held view that being a 'generalist' with a liberal arts education was a waste of time. Instead, to become productive in the new economy, we had to undertake increasingly specialised training for increasingly specialised work.
I disagree profoundly with that view, and I believe that teaching people to think critically and encouraging their curiosity remains intrinsically valuable. I accept that this might produce a lot of 'dilettantes' - which I define as people driven by a broad intellectual and emotional engagement. In that sense, there's nothing more serious to me than a dilettante, which is how I would describe myself.
More specifically, the classical music world can be daunting because of its history, the depth of the repertoire and the complexity of the music. A certain snobbishness results from that and can stifle the fledgling efforts of new listeners, and the enthusiasm of non-professional players. [I once scandalised a boyfriend by telling him that Dvorak was one of my favourite composers. He subsequently gave me a Beethoven box set, which I read as an aesthetic 'correction'...and things went downhill from there!]
The name Dilettante is a signal that we are finding ways to invite people into what could be a very big tent if they can find the space to listen
'Lead the Classical Uprising' isn't aimed at a person, or group of people per se. It's a challenge to the common claim that classical music is dying.
Who writes your House Blog? Can any member have a Member Blog?
JULIANA: I write the house blog, and the 'musical uprisings'. (This started by accident when we launched a 'user generated' website which - at the beginning - had no users to generate content.) Yes, any member can have a member blog.
I noticed Nonesuch Records has a Member Blog. Nonesuch also has its own blog, though, off its own website. Similarly, I see my e-friend The Omniscient Mussel has a member blog that links to her personal blog off-site. Do you care if the blog posts are the same on Dilettante and the Nonesuch/Omniscient Mussel blogs, or are you ideally looking for unique content?
JULIANA: The Dilettante site is a hub which brings together music, editorial content, ideas and people. We are not especially concerned about unique content, and we would certainly not prioritise that at the expense of aggregating the most interesting and dynamic classical music content on the web. For instance, The Omniscient Mussel has developed a distinctive voice and a loyal following so creating space for her on Dilettante can only enhance our site.
Back to Nonesuch for a moment: Are you encouraging record labels without their own blogs to have Dilettante Member Blogs? How do you envision record label blogs on Dilettante actually selling records?
CHRIS: We encourage record labels to do lots of things on the site - not just creating or importing their own blogs, but setting up profiles and connecting with the Dilettante community. Nonesuch uses Dilettante in a clever way, by keeping members up-to-date about events and information related to their artists, and not just promoting upcoming releases. All of these elements contribute to selling records through the site. More generally, labels are starting to leverage social media as a vehicle for promoting their recordings and Dilettante is one outlet where they can communicate with a targeted audience in an honest and creative way.
Why ask new members to select their "relationship with music", that is, "serious listener", "novice listener", etc.? If I start off as a novice and become more serious because of Dilettante, can I change my profile?
JULIANA: First, you can always change your profile type. The distinctions among musician types is primarily intended for practical reasons - for instance, if someone were looking for a trio in London to play at their wedding, they could use those criteria to hone their search.
As for listener types, this was originally conceived as a way of signaling that 'novice listeners' were welcome on the site. No one has raised it with us before, but if users tell us it's not a useful or meaningful way of describing themselves, we'd certainly change it.
I must admit, I'm skeptical of niche social networking sites. I, like Anne Midgette, feel like there's a limit to existing classical music fans, and that the point of online networking is to find people who don't yet know they're fans. What do you think are the benefits of having a classically-focused site? Also, as Anne points out in her post, a few classical networking sites have started and not really taken off: she cites Classical Lounge, Artist Nation, Classical Music Now, and Classical Connection. What makes the new version of Dilettante stand out?
JULIANA: First, it's important to clarify that Dilettante is a hub (or portal as they used to say) and the social network was always intended to be an element of what we offer, but certainly not the whole thing. Also, it's not clear to us that Facebook or any other social utility is actually making 'fans' of people who weren't already interested.
Our goal is to enable discovery of music and musicians, and to that end we believe we need to provide listeners with compelling reasons to visit Dilettante, whether it's to find a range of 'expert' opinions of the best performance of Transfigured Night, or to find the best quality recording at the best price. New listeners might want advice on the Beethoven concerti but find it intimidating to walk into a record shop and ask (if there is a record shop at all!). While they're on Dilettante, they might discover an mp3 by a trio that just graduated from Curtis, and become a fan. Ordinary social networks don't offer this sort of 360-degree experience, and it's reflected in our numbers. We're now seeing more than 15,000 unique visitors per month from more than 105 countries.
CHRIS: Even so, we believe that niche social networks are the next step in the evolution of online social networking. The ability to connect in a meaningful way with people who share a particular interest or passion creates an important link and like social networks in real life, online networks are situationally relevant - there's no "one size fits all" for every interest and social group people have.
I see you've used Facebook's "Wall" platform and moniker. Are you at all concerned that classical folks who are not familiar with Facebook will be confused by this? Which brings me to the broader question of, how easy is Dilettante to use if someone is not so tech-savvy?
JULIANA: Quite the opposite, actually. On the first version of the site we used 'small talk' to designate a public message (the call to action was 'talk to me'). Many users found this confusing because Facebook's 'wall' had become widely accepted as a standard term for this type of message in the social networking environment.
Regarding less tech-savvy users, we have done usability tests on the new site and addressed areas that we felt were unclear. We plan to do another, more involved set of tests in the next couple of months or so, and this will undoubtedly uncover more questions about whether the user journey is as intuitive as it could be.
There are two important points here, though:
a) the Members area of the Dilettante site is a social network in the accepted sense, and social networking functionality has become very sophisticated very quickly. For that reason, it would not have made sense to work to the least tech-savvy user. The challenge was (and remains) to make complex functionality as intuitive as possible.
b) the Dilettante Music and Events areas are designed to be used by anyone, whether or not they're a member of the Dilettante community (or any other social network for that matter). The Music section functions like any other library-style search where you can use keywords to find information about composers and works, read reviews and discussions, and then click through to buy music or tickets. These areas are complex because of how they aggregate information, but they are not difficult to use.
How does Dilettante interact with actual musical activity? Are there structures to help musicians find gigs, or to find other musicians for a string quartet, for example? Is there a place where instruments are bought and sold, or where teachers in a certain area can be found? Or are the networking elements of Dilettante purely social?
CHRIS: Users have many tools to search for and interact with musical activity. First, they can use the events calendar to upload their recitals, masterclasses, performances, hold auditions and anything else they can think of. Members can post discussions on forums, and use their own blogs - which appear on the members' homepage - to find musicians.
Members' mp3s appear in our library on the page that describes the work they're performing and on Dilettante Radio, so musicians can be found through the music itself, and not just through their member profiles. Also, our members search is very precise and specifically designed to find a user by instrument/skill/location etc, not just a specific person. For instance, you can look for an accompanist in Philadelphia, or a teacher in Houston...
You've just announced a Digital Composer-in-Residence competition wherein one of the prizes is a year-long "virtual residency". What does a virtual residency entail? Is this the first of its kind? Who owns the rights to any work created by that composer during that period?
CHRIS: A virtual residency offers the winning composer a digital space in which to promote their work, facilitate discussions, post podcasts and conduct online master classes, all to an established international audience. We'll be working with the winner to develop a series of activities on the site, which will provide information about what they're working on, the process involved, and their thoughts on new music. To my knowledge it is the first of its kind.
Dilettante is commissioning the winning composer to write a new piece for chamber ensemble over the course of the residency. They will own the rights to that work.
As with the YouTube Symphony, I continue to wonder why great web initiatives need to be validated by "real" live performances. Why will the three composer finalists have their works performed at London's Wilton's Music Hall, and not in a purely online setting?
BOTH: Glad you think it's a great web initiative - we do too! But the Digital Composer-in Residence project was never intended to be a web-only initiative. It reflects the fact that the real world doesn't exist in a parallel universe to the virtual one. For most musicians who are active online, those worlds work together and complement each other - our project does the same. [Besides, we want to have a party and we really love Wilton's!]
Still, a key aspect is that our 'niche' community is built on a common activity and interest, and we are leveraging all aspects of that community to make this project happen, from soliciting entries to attracting judges and performers, and then using our web presence as a viable way for the winning composer to develop their own profile.
In fact, the project progresses work we did last summer on Blank Canvas, our classical club night in East London. The production of Blank Canvas was documented on the site, members were invited to attend at discounted ticket rates, and we produced a high-quality webcast of the event which we posted on Dilettante and YouTube. That way, we supported live performance in a non-traditional venue and we also brought the sites and sounds of London's contemporary classical scene to users elsewhere.
Obviously, a network of any kind is dependent on the quality and/or quantity of its members. Is Dilettante looking for a select group of very active members, or is this a the-more-the-merrier situation? And in either case, how are you getting the word out about this site, and what have been the most successful ways you've recruited new members thus far?
CHRIS: Dilettante already has a group of super-users and this is likely to remain the case over time. Nonetheless, we currently attract members and visitors from more than 105 countries, and these run the gamut from orchestras like the London Phil to organisations like the New England Conservatory and small record labels, to individual listeners and musicians.
For us, then, if Dilettante is to continue to function as a hub it needs to grow in all of these directions - so the more-the-merrier!
Publicist Log, Day 4: Today we have Rebecca Davis, who I have known 4eva, 4eva-eva. Rebecca was Director of Publicity at Universal Music Classical when I was Publicity Manager at IMG Artists, and then we worked on Hilary's Schoenberg/Sibelius exploits together, and then I covered for her at Universal when she was on maternity leave last fall. She's since started her own firm, and here's what she has to say for herself:
Rebecca Davis is a publicity, promotions and marketing consultant with over ten years of experience working with musicians on the world's leading major and independent classical record labels including Decca, Deutsche Grammophon, Philips and Naxos. Clients include singers Juan Diego Florez, Rolando Villazon, Danielle de Niese and Cecilia Bartoli, violinists Janine Jansen and Caroline Goulding, conductor Kristjan Jarvi, the Australian Chamber Orchestra and composer Daniel Felsenfeld. Rebecca has also implemented successful media campaigns for artists including Renee Fleming, Anna Netrebko, Lang Lang, Bryn Terfel, Hilary Hahn, Anne Sophie Mutter and Osvaldo Golijov. Rebecca's strong relationships with journalists in the music media as well as mainstream outlets throughout the US has helped her secure coverage for artists in all major outlets in print, online and on radio and television. Rebecca has a special passion for bringing classical music to a broad mainstream audience as well as to the classical press through targeted pitching, creative story-telling and special events. In an increasingly diverse, ever-changing and often competitive media market, Rebecca uses an enthusiastic voice and in-depth expertise in promoting classical music to help artists achieve meaningful and impactful visibility in the national media. For more information, please visit: www.rebeccadavispr.com
What is the purpose of a press release? And what, in your opinion, is the most important aspect of a press release? How does that element accomplish the purpose?
Most simply, a press release is a snapshot of an artist's current story. The quality of the writing and presentation of a press release can make a huge difference in how much attention an artist receives for any given tour, recording, or news item. The most important aspect of a press release is the solid information it includes. We're publicists so we're naturally pretty excited about our subjects and a little hype is hard to avoid, but a good press release is not about hyperbole and marketing but rather a tool to convey actual news about an artist. In my experience, if you want a journalist to read your press release, you have to provide them with the facts quickly and concisely. If a press release is too florid but short on hard information it will quickly be sent to the recycle bin and you risk having future releases downright ignored if a journalist doesn't feel they can trust you to provide information that would be of interest to their audience.
Similarly, what is the most important aspect of an artist biography? How long should a bio be, ideally? Should it include press quotes? Why or why not?
Along with the press release, a bio is the backbone of an artist's media campaign. It should be well-written and concise to work for programs, liner notes, artist and management webpages, Facebook and other social networking and anywhere else it might appear. Though there may be some adjustments made for each iteration, the information in the bio and tone of the writing should be consistent anywhere it appears. I'm a big fan of the one-pager as well as the biographical timeline that Deutsche Grammophon uses for their artists. It gives a nice snapshot of the career, what happened when and, to my eyes, is a quick and easy read.
I do tend to include press quotes in my materials when they make sense as that gives journalists an idea of what their peers in other markets (or countries) are saying about my artist. I won't indiscriminately note that, for example, the Kalamazoo Chronicle liked an artist when she came to town when I'm pitching a new record. If I want to convey what makes a recording of I Capuleti e Montecchi special, however, I could tell you that Anna Netrebko and Elina Garanca sound swell together but it probably carries more weight to tell you that Opera News called their pairing "fortunate" and said "their voices are well matched and they blend beautifully." Press quotes can also be helpful when you are pitching an artist who may have a solid, enthusiastic following somewhere overseas (like the vivacious and utterly jaw-dropping Australian Chamber Orchestra), but are still relatively unknown to media in this country.
How far in advance of a CD release or concert do you send/e mail press releases? How many times do you usually follow-up journalists after sending the release?
For monthly publications, I plan on at least a three month lead time (and sometimes much more) to develop a story and make sure interviews, photo shoots and other creative aspects of the story can be worked out by deadline. Weeklies, I would do about six weeks in advance, dailies a month in advance. It all depends on the piece though. For a straight record review (yes, they do still happen) the journalist probably doesn't have to spend as much time working on the story as they would for a 1000 word profile with photos. So, the short answer is that it entirely depends on the kind of story I'm pitching and how far in advance each outlet works. I'm currently working on pieces running anywhere from June to December.
How and when to follow-up depends on the preference of the journalist. I have people who say everything from "just keep reminding me" to "please don't follow-up, if I'm interested I'll let you know" and everything in between. Journalists can have very specific preferences about when they want to be called, emailed or even faxed and as publicists, we try to keep up with that to make sure we are feeding them the right information for them in the way that they like to receive it.
In 2009, what do you consider successful coverage for a client's concert? How has the definition of "coverage" changed since you started working in PR? For example, do artist's personal blogs/websites/Twitter feeds count as media coverage?
These elements are extremely essential to reaching an audience directly and an important facet of artist marketing. I wouldn't categorize facebook, twitter, youtube and artist websites as "media" coverage though, because there is no pitching involved, the artist and his entourage do the upkeep on those sites without relying on journalists as a third party. I define successful media coverage for an artist or project to be when you are able to get not just one great story on an artist but a variety of interesting pieces across several kinds of media (in print, on line, on-air) that run around the same time so that they really impact not just concert and recording sales, but take a musician to a new level of notoriety and recognition and ultimately win new audiences to their artistry.
Who owns the problem of selling tickets and CDs? Is it a publicist's job to secure press that will have a direct impact on sales, or does some press accomplish something beyond or different from sales? Should marketing - ticket sales, ad copy, poster design - be kept separate from publicity, or do efforts often overlap?
In the short-term, a publicist needs to justify his or her fee by securing impactful pieces that will help with CD and concert sales. But, there are also pieces that we work on over long periods of time that may reach a very wide audience and build recognition, but do not always have a direct affect on sales. I have gotten reviews in limited circulation publications that have had far more impact to record sales than appearances on national TV shows reaching audiences in the millions, but in general any kind of coverage that is worth the artist's time will help build the profile and impact sales.
In my experience these marketing and press materials can and should complement one another. As a publicist, I work closely with the artist, management, record label, website manager and presenters to make sure that this happens. I'm a big believer in branding and consistent messages across platforms. The more a person sees an image, the more they are affected by it. If they see one image of an artist about his concert, another about an unrelated CD project, and a third on his website, I think it subtly undermines the effort to ingrain an artist into the popular mindset.
When in their careers should artists hire a publicist?
Quite simply, when there is a compelling story to tell. Ideally, that includes recording projects and a busy tour schedule plus an interesting newsworthy hook. If the artist's story is juicy enough sometimes that will make up for a lighter tour schedule or the lack of a major current recording. It bears noting that even if there is no record deal, an artist needs to have a high quality recording for a publicist to service to journalists and radio stations.
Additionally, some publicists (myself included) will consider short term projects of just a few months when there is a big tour or a new release. The artist may not be quite ready for full-time press representation if, for instance, they spend most of their time out of the country and only need someone advocating for them with American media during the period they are active here.
If an artist doesn't have a publicist, what is the best advice you can offer them for self-promotion?
I would say they should do two things. First, be sure your webpage and social networking pages are regularly updated with news about your career. And don't forget the basic element of making sure there is clear contact information available if a journalist wants to cover your story. Secondly, read, listen, watch and pay close attention to what journalists are talking about and what radio stations are playing so you can pitch your story in the unique context of that particular outlet. Our jobs as publicists are to know our media, to have those relationships so that we know when a story might be of interest to the journalist and their audience. The biggest mistake an artist (or inexperienced publicist) can make is pitching a story to a journalist without first finding out what interests that person, what they've written about in the past and why that story makes sense for them.
A third thing an artist should remember is good old-fashioned manners. Be sure to say "Thank You" when a journalist covers your concert or recording (an email is fine, a note is even better). And if they aren't interested for any reason (or are unresponsive as is more often the case), be nice, don't pout, and try again next time.
How do you choose clients? Is there a set criteria in your company, or do you decide on a case-by-case basis?
Again, I go back to the simple criteria of there being a compelling story to tell that is worth sharing on a national level. The artist has to be exceptional at their craft, it should go without saying, but also different enough from their colleagues in the same field to warrant the attention of news media. For instance, a new recording of the Four Seasons from a bright young violinist is not likely to garner media attention on its own because the story has been told before. If however, you are like Janine Jansen and record the work in an arrangement no one has heard before and become a huge sensation on iTunes with pop music level sales, you have yourself a pretty terrific story. A good publicist should be able to help an artist craft and articulate that story as well.
I also look at what is happening with the artist over the coming seasons to determine if there will be enough going on to justify having a publicist on long-term. Significant touring at important venues in major cities coupled with great recordings are important factors that help me determine if the artist is at a level where they will need someone consistently managing their profile within the media.
For a long-term client I love a multi-faceted artist like Kristjan Jarvi who is a true musical omnivore, a brilliant conductor, educator and new music advocate. Those artists often have so much going on that they offer the best variety of ways to pitch to media and keep the story interesting.
Do clients on your roster know who the other clients on the roster are? Do they care?
I would imagine artists are aware of the caliber and kind of artists I have on my roster before they come to me, but I have never had someone say they want to work with me because I do or do not work with anyone else.
Should publicists run Facebook pages, blogs, Twitter accounts, MySpace pages for their clients, or is that essentially the 2009-equivalent of answering interview questions for them?
Whether it is the publicist, an assistant or the artist themselves posting to these sites and networks, it is just essential that they really reflect the artist's voice. If they don't, then offering that kind of "relationship" with the artist through these sites is really very false. I like to think fans are smart enough to sniff out if an artist is posting status updates themselves or if it is being done by someone disconnected to the artist as a person.
If you weren't a classical music publicist, what would you be?
I would probably be singing. I'm a classically trained soprano myself who has moonlighted in the music business ever since high school. If I wasn't doing this I would be singing some way or another either professionally, avocationally, or teaching.
Rebecca Davis is a publicity, promotions and marketing consultant with over ten years of experience working with musicians on the world's leading major and independent classical record labels including Decca, Deutsche Grammophon, Philips and Naxos. Clients include singers Juan Diego Florez, Rolando Villazon, Danielle de Niese and Cecilia Bartoli, violinists Janine Jansen and Caroline Goulding, conductor Kristjan Jarvi, the Australian Chamber Orchestra and composer Daniel Felsenfeld. Rebecca has also implemented successful media campaigns for artists including Renee Fleming, Anna Netrebko, Lang Lang, Bryn Terfel, Hilary Hahn, Anne Sophie Mutter and Osvaldo Golijov. Rebecca's strong relationships with journalists in the music media as well as mainstream outlets throughout the US has helped her secure coverage for artists in all major outlets in print, online and on radio and television. Rebecca has a special passion for bringing classical music to a broad mainstream audience as well as to the classical press through targeted pitching, creative story-telling and special events. In an increasingly diverse, ever-changing and often competitive media market, Rebecca uses an enthusiastic voice and in-depth expertise in promoting classical music to help artists achieve meaningful and impactful visibility in the national media. For more information, please visit: www.rebeccadavispr.com
What is the purpose of a press release? And what, in your opinion, is the most important aspect of a press release? How does that element accomplish the purpose?
Most simply, a press release is a snapshot of an artist's current story. The quality of the writing and presentation of a press release can make a huge difference in how much attention an artist receives for any given tour, recording, or news item. The most important aspect of a press release is the solid information it includes. We're publicists so we're naturally pretty excited about our subjects and a little hype is hard to avoid, but a good press release is not about hyperbole and marketing but rather a tool to convey actual news about an artist. In my experience, if you want a journalist to read your press release, you have to provide them with the facts quickly and concisely. If a press release is too florid but short on hard information it will quickly be sent to the recycle bin and you risk having future releases downright ignored if a journalist doesn't feel they can trust you to provide information that would be of interest to their audience.
Similarly, what is the most important aspect of an artist biography? How long should a bio be, ideally? Should it include press quotes? Why or why not?
Along with the press release, a bio is the backbone of an artist's media campaign. It should be well-written and concise to work for programs, liner notes, artist and management webpages, Facebook and other social networking and anywhere else it might appear. Though there may be some adjustments made for each iteration, the information in the bio and tone of the writing should be consistent anywhere it appears. I'm a big fan of the one-pager as well as the biographical timeline that Deutsche Grammophon uses for their artists. It gives a nice snapshot of the career, what happened when and, to my eyes, is a quick and easy read.
I do tend to include press quotes in my materials when they make sense as that gives journalists an idea of what their peers in other markets (or countries) are saying about my artist. I won't indiscriminately note that, for example, the Kalamazoo Chronicle liked an artist when she came to town when I'm pitching a new record. If I want to convey what makes a recording of I Capuleti e Montecchi special, however, I could tell you that Anna Netrebko and Elina Garanca sound swell together but it probably carries more weight to tell you that Opera News called their pairing "fortunate" and said "their voices are well matched and they blend beautifully." Press quotes can also be helpful when you are pitching an artist who may have a solid, enthusiastic following somewhere overseas (like the vivacious and utterly jaw-dropping Australian Chamber Orchestra), but are still relatively unknown to media in this country.
How far in advance of a CD release or concert do you send/e mail press releases? How many times do you usually follow-up journalists after sending the release?
For monthly publications, I plan on at least a three month lead time (and sometimes much more) to develop a story and make sure interviews, photo shoots and other creative aspects of the story can be worked out by deadline. Weeklies, I would do about six weeks in advance, dailies a month in advance. It all depends on the piece though. For a straight record review (yes, they do still happen) the journalist probably doesn't have to spend as much time working on the story as they would for a 1000 word profile with photos. So, the short answer is that it entirely depends on the kind of story I'm pitching and how far in advance each outlet works. I'm currently working on pieces running anywhere from June to December.
How and when to follow-up depends on the preference of the journalist. I have people who say everything from "just keep reminding me" to "please don't follow-up, if I'm interested I'll let you know" and everything in between. Journalists can have very specific preferences about when they want to be called, emailed or even faxed and as publicists, we try to keep up with that to make sure we are feeding them the right information for them in the way that they like to receive it.
In 2009, what do you consider successful coverage for a client's concert? How has the definition of "coverage" changed since you started working in PR? For example, do artist's personal blogs/websites/Twitter feeds count as media coverage?
These elements are extremely essential to reaching an audience directly and an important facet of artist marketing. I wouldn't categorize facebook, twitter, youtube and artist websites as "media" coverage though, because there is no pitching involved, the artist and his entourage do the upkeep on those sites without relying on journalists as a third party. I define successful media coverage for an artist or project to be when you are able to get not just one great story on an artist but a variety of interesting pieces across several kinds of media (in print, on line, on-air) that run around the same time so that they really impact not just concert and recording sales, but take a musician to a new level of notoriety and recognition and ultimately win new audiences to their artistry.
Who owns the problem of selling tickets and CDs? Is it a publicist's job to secure press that will have a direct impact on sales, or does some press accomplish something beyond or different from sales? Should marketing - ticket sales, ad copy, poster design - be kept separate from publicity, or do efforts often overlap?
In the short-term, a publicist needs to justify his or her fee by securing impactful pieces that will help with CD and concert sales. But, there are also pieces that we work on over long periods of time that may reach a very wide audience and build recognition, but do not always have a direct affect on sales. I have gotten reviews in limited circulation publications that have had far more impact to record sales than appearances on national TV shows reaching audiences in the millions, but in general any kind of coverage that is worth the artist's time will help build the profile and impact sales.
In my experience these marketing and press materials can and should complement one another. As a publicist, I work closely with the artist, management, record label, website manager and presenters to make sure that this happens. I'm a big believer in branding and consistent messages across platforms. The more a person sees an image, the more they are affected by it. If they see one image of an artist about his concert, another about an unrelated CD project, and a third on his website, I think it subtly undermines the effort to ingrain an artist into the popular mindset.
When in their careers should artists hire a publicist?
Quite simply, when there is a compelling story to tell. Ideally, that includes recording projects and a busy tour schedule plus an interesting newsworthy hook. If the artist's story is juicy enough sometimes that will make up for a lighter tour schedule or the lack of a major current recording. It bears noting that even if there is no record deal, an artist needs to have a high quality recording for a publicist to service to journalists and radio stations.
Additionally, some publicists (myself included) will consider short term projects of just a few months when there is a big tour or a new release. The artist may not be quite ready for full-time press representation if, for instance, they spend most of their time out of the country and only need someone advocating for them with American media during the period they are active here.
If an artist doesn't have a publicist, what is the best advice you can offer them for self-promotion?
I would say they should do two things. First, be sure your webpage and social networking pages are regularly updated with news about your career. And don't forget the basic element of making sure there is clear contact information available if a journalist wants to cover your story. Secondly, read, listen, watch and pay close attention to what journalists are talking about and what radio stations are playing so you can pitch your story in the unique context of that particular outlet. Our jobs as publicists are to know our media, to have those relationships so that we know when a story might be of interest to the journalist and their audience. The biggest mistake an artist (or inexperienced publicist) can make is pitching a story to a journalist without first finding out what interests that person, what they've written about in the past and why that story makes sense for them.
A third thing an artist should remember is good old-fashioned manners. Be sure to say "Thank You" when a journalist covers your concert or recording (an email is fine, a note is even better). And if they aren't interested for any reason (or are unresponsive as is more often the case), be nice, don't pout, and try again next time.
How do you choose clients? Is there a set criteria in your company, or do you decide on a case-by-case basis?
Again, I go back to the simple criteria of there being a compelling story to tell that is worth sharing on a national level. The artist has to be exceptional at their craft, it should go without saying, but also different enough from their colleagues in the same field to warrant the attention of news media. For instance, a new recording of the Four Seasons from a bright young violinist is not likely to garner media attention on its own because the story has been told before. If however, you are like Janine Jansen and record the work in an arrangement no one has heard before and become a huge sensation on iTunes with pop music level sales, you have yourself a pretty terrific story. A good publicist should be able to help an artist craft and articulate that story as well.
I also look at what is happening with the artist over the coming seasons to determine if there will be enough going on to justify having a publicist on long-term. Significant touring at important venues in major cities coupled with great recordings are important factors that help me determine if the artist is at a level where they will need someone consistently managing their profile within the media.
For a long-term client I love a multi-faceted artist like Kristjan Jarvi who is a true musical omnivore, a brilliant conductor, educator and new music advocate. Those artists often have so much going on that they offer the best variety of ways to pitch to media and keep the story interesting.
Do clients on your roster know who the other clients on the roster are? Do they care?
I would imagine artists are aware of the caliber and kind of artists I have on my roster before they come to me, but I have never had someone say they want to work with me because I do or do not work with anyone else.
Should publicists run Facebook pages, blogs, Twitter accounts, MySpace pages for their clients, or is that essentially the 2009-equivalent of answering interview questions for them?
Whether it is the publicist, an assistant or the artist themselves posting to these sites and networks, it is just essential that they really reflect the artist's voice. If they don't, then offering that kind of "relationship" with the artist through these sites is really very false. I like to think fans are smart enough to sniff out if an artist is posting status updates themselves or if it is being done by someone disconnected to the artist as a person.
If you weren't a classical music publicist, what would you be?
I would probably be singing. I'm a classically trained soprano myself who has moonlighted in the music business ever since high school. If I wasn't doing this I would be singing some way or another either professionally, avocationally, or teaching.
It's Publicists Gone Wild this week on Life's a Pitch. Each day, we'll have answers to the same eleven questions from different New York City publicists. Today, we have Steven Swartz, who hails from the publishing (and apparently ukulele) world(s)! Steven and I met...actually, when did we meet?...but our paths cross early and often at cool-kid "new music" events throughout the city.
Steven Swartz never set out to be a publicist. He studied music and philosophy at Swarthmore College and earned a PhD in composition from University at Buffalo under principal teacher Morton Feldman. A teaching job proved elusive, so he moved to NYC, embarking on a career that would eventually span journalism, radio, the recording industry, and music publishing. From 1990 to 2006 he served as Publicity Manager for Boosey & Hawkes.
In 2007 Steven founded Dotdotdotmusic, providing PR, writing, and consulting services to the new music field, specializing in artists whose music transcends styles and genres. His clients include cellist Maya Beiser, composer Douglas J. Cuomo, New Amsterdam records, Signal, the MATA Festival, and others. Steven has also enjoyed a parallel career as a recording artist, singing and playing ukulele in the "avant-folk" combos Songs from a Random House and Bedroom Community. Website: www.dotdotdotmusic.net. Twitter: @dotdotdottweet.
What is the purpose of a press release? And what, in your opinion, is the most important aspect of a press release? How does that element accomplish the purpose?
I think any publicist would agree that it's not enough to convey the essential information -- you have to answer the reader's unspoken question, "Why should I care?" Ideally, all of the elements of the release work together to provide that answer, but the heavy lifting is accomplished by the narrative you create in the release, and the context you provide to support and enrich that narrative.
Hard to say what the single most important element is, though I think the first two paragraphs are crucial: while the first gives the vital info, the second tells "why this event is different from all other events."
Similarly, what is the most important aspect of an artist biography? How long should a bio be, ideally? Should it include press quotes? Why or why not?
There's a type of bio that you'll often find in concert programs -- a laundry list of accomplishments. I find that absolutely deadly. It's a biography, not a job application!
Most artists do see the bio as a kind of resume, not realizing that it can serve as a powerful marketing tool, especially on the web. Phrases from a well-written bio can turn up in coverage for years to come...it's a tremendous opportunity to shape perceptions.
If you only have a few hundred words to work with, you certainly do want to mention the major prizes and credits. But a good artist bio tells not only what the artist has achieved, but how she became the particular artist she is. There are always formative experiences and influences, and often some interesting twists and turns along the way. Without belaboring these things, an artist's bio can sketch a compelling narrative arc, while still making room for the credentials that establish the artist as bona fide.
I use press quotes sparingly, and not in every instance. If you're writing a long bio, say 1000-1200 words, there may be room for a few well-chosen gems. A short bio should run about 350 words, and you should always have a bio/blurb that tops out at 150 words.
How far in advance of a CD release or concert do you send/e mail press releases? How many times do you usually follow-up journalists after sending the release?
Anywhere from three months to six weeks out for the initial release. No hard formula for how many times to follow up. Some people are fine with repeated nudging, others need to be prodded gently and sparingly. Know your contacts and what they respond to best!
In 2009, what do you consider successful coverage for a client's concert? How has the definition of "coverage" changed since you started working in PR? For example, do artist's personal blogs/websites/Twitter feeds count as media coverage?
If your artist is a gifted blogger, like Darcy James Argue, whose Secret Society blog is eloquent and influential, he can serve as a very effective adjunct to your own efforts. But I'd hardly consider an artist's own blog as "coverage," though positive comments from his peers can be useful as blurbs.
Steven Swartz never set out to be a publicist. He studied music and philosophy at Swarthmore College and earned a PhD in composition from University at Buffalo under principal teacher Morton Feldman. A teaching job proved elusive, so he moved to NYC, embarking on a career that would eventually span journalism, radio, the recording industry, and music publishing. From 1990 to 2006 he served as Publicity Manager for Boosey & Hawkes.
In 2007 Steven founded Dotdotdotmusic, providing PR, writing, and consulting services to the new music field, specializing in artists whose music transcends styles and genres. His clients include cellist Maya Beiser, composer Douglas J. Cuomo, New Amsterdam records, Signal, the MATA Festival, and others. Steven has also enjoyed a parallel career as a recording artist, singing and playing ukulele in the "avant-folk" combos Songs from a Random House and Bedroom Community. Website: www.dotdotdotmusic.net. Twitter: @dotdotdottweet.
What is the purpose of a press release? And what, in your opinion, is the most important aspect of a press release? How does that element accomplish the purpose?
I think any publicist would agree that it's not enough to convey the essential information -- you have to answer the reader's unspoken question, "Why should I care?" Ideally, all of the elements of the release work together to provide that answer, but the heavy lifting is accomplished by the narrative you create in the release, and the context you provide to support and enrich that narrative.
Hard to say what the single most important element is, though I think the first two paragraphs are crucial: while the first gives the vital info, the second tells "why this event is different from all other events."
Similarly, what is the most important aspect of an artist biography? How long should a bio be, ideally? Should it include press quotes? Why or why not?
There's a type of bio that you'll often find in concert programs -- a laundry list of accomplishments. I find that absolutely deadly. It's a biography, not a job application!
Most artists do see the bio as a kind of resume, not realizing that it can serve as a powerful marketing tool, especially on the web. Phrases from a well-written bio can turn up in coverage for years to come...it's a tremendous opportunity to shape perceptions.
If you only have a few hundred words to work with, you certainly do want to mention the major prizes and credits. But a good artist bio tells not only what the artist has achieved, but how she became the particular artist she is. There are always formative experiences and influences, and often some interesting twists and turns along the way. Without belaboring these things, an artist's bio can sketch a compelling narrative arc, while still making room for the credentials that establish the artist as bona fide.
I use press quotes sparingly, and not in every instance. If you're writing a long bio, say 1000-1200 words, there may be room for a few well-chosen gems. A short bio should run about 350 words, and you should always have a bio/blurb that tops out at 150 words.
How far in advance of a CD release or concert do you send/e mail press releases? How many times do you usually follow-up journalists after sending the release?
Anywhere from three months to six weeks out for the initial release. No hard formula for how many times to follow up. Some people are fine with repeated nudging, others need to be prodded gently and sparingly. Know your contacts and what they respond to best!
In 2009, what do you consider successful coverage for a client's concert? How has the definition of "coverage" changed since you started working in PR? For example, do artist's personal blogs/websites/Twitter feeds count as media coverage?
If your artist is a gifted blogger, like Darcy James Argue, whose Secret Society blog is eloquent and influential, he can serve as a very effective adjunct to your own efforts. But I'd hardly consider an artist's own blog as "coverage," though positive comments from his peers can be useful as blurbs.
Continue reading Steven Swartz, Dotdotdotmusic.
This week on Life's a Pitch, the royal "we" is talking to NYC-based classical music publicists. Everyone gets the same questions, and presumably no one has seen anyone else's answers! Here's Jennifer Wada, with whom I had the pleasure of working on the Hilary Hahn/Josh Ritter concert at the Metropolitan Museum of Art last spring.
Jennifer Wada is a New York-based public relations consultant in the performing arts whose clients include the Metropolitan Museum Concerts series, the Orchestra of St. Luke's, the George London Foundation for Singers, composer Ellen Taaffe Zwilich, and conductor Kent Tritle, among others. Prior to opening her own business in 2000, she spent 18 years at Carnegie Hall, the last nine of them as the director of public relations, from 1991 to 2000, overseeing the media profile of the landmark institution. Ms. Wada is a graduate of Vassar College, from which she received a bachelor of arts degree with a major in music. She was also for many years a member of the Japanese taiko (folk drumming) ensemble Soh Daiko of New York City.
What is the purpose of a press release? And what, in your opinion, is the most important aspect of a press release? How does that element accomplish the purpose?
To convey the news compellingly - what an artist or organization is doing. If applicable, this should be done in such a way as to convey how this ties in to the artist's or organization's overall goals, purpose, point of view, ethos, etc.
Similarly, what is the most important aspect of an artist biography? How long should a bio be, ideally? Should it include press quotes? Why or why not?
An artist's bio should say up top what makes him/her distinctive, and convey what is most important to him/her - ideally, these are related! - as well as the most recent accomplishments. I am a fan of having short and long versions of bios, and press quotes can serve a distinct purpose: to legitimize or bolster claims to qualities that anyone can make, particularly if an artist isn't super well-known, and to have praise be in the words of an authoritative voice, a voice that's not one of the interested parties.
How far in advance of a CD release or concert do you send/e mail press releases? How many times do you usually follow-up journalists after sending the release?
A month ahead for releases (though if an event has not been previously announced at all, as part of a season, for example, I like to send a notice out up to three months earlier). Some journalists will receive targeted follow-up from me.
In 2009, what do you consider successful coverage for a client's concert? How has the definition of "coverage" changed since you started working in PR? For example, do artist's personal blogs/websites/Twitter feeds count as media coverage?
To your second question: Clearly, there are fewer print or broadcast outlets now, more online, which of course provide much less broad, but more instances of pinpointed, exposure. And to your third question: the initial posting or feed becomes "coverage," or serves the purpose of visibility, if it becomes viral.
Jennifer Wada is a New York-based public relations consultant in the performing arts whose clients include the Metropolitan Museum Concerts series, the Orchestra of St. Luke's, the George London Foundation for Singers, composer Ellen Taaffe Zwilich, and conductor Kent Tritle, among others. Prior to opening her own business in 2000, she spent 18 years at Carnegie Hall, the last nine of them as the director of public relations, from 1991 to 2000, overseeing the media profile of the landmark institution. Ms. Wada is a graduate of Vassar College, from which she received a bachelor of arts degree with a major in music. She was also for many years a member of the Japanese taiko (folk drumming) ensemble Soh Daiko of New York City.
What is the purpose of a press release? And what, in your opinion, is the most important aspect of a press release? How does that element accomplish the purpose?
To convey the news compellingly - what an artist or organization is doing. If applicable, this should be done in such a way as to convey how this ties in to the artist's or organization's overall goals, purpose, point of view, ethos, etc.
Similarly, what is the most important aspect of an artist biography? How long should a bio be, ideally? Should it include press quotes? Why or why not?
An artist's bio should say up top what makes him/her distinctive, and convey what is most important to him/her - ideally, these are related! - as well as the most recent accomplishments. I am a fan of having short and long versions of bios, and press quotes can serve a distinct purpose: to legitimize or bolster claims to qualities that anyone can make, particularly if an artist isn't super well-known, and to have praise be in the words of an authoritative voice, a voice that's not one of the interested parties.
How far in advance of a CD release or concert do you send/e mail press releases? How many times do you usually follow-up journalists after sending the release?
A month ahead for releases (though if an event has not been previously announced at all, as part of a season, for example, I like to send a notice out up to three months earlier). Some journalists will receive targeted follow-up from me.
In 2009, what do you consider successful coverage for a client's concert? How has the definition of "coverage" changed since you started working in PR? For example, do artist's personal blogs/websites/Twitter feeds count as media coverage?
To your second question: Clearly, there are fewer print or broadcast outlets now, more online, which of course provide much less broad, but more instances of pinpointed, exposure. And to your third question: the initial posting or feed becomes "coverage," or serves the purpose of visibility, if it becomes viral.
Continue reading Jennifer Wada.
Since I'm going to try to keep my trap (fingers?) shut all week, I'll just say two quick things now:
One. Last night at the bar Union Pool in Williamsburg, I received the best response yet to my response to the question, "So what do you do?"
"So what do you do?" "I am a classical music publicist." "That sounds difficult." (The usual response is, "Oh. Cool. What does that mean?") This guy went on to ask what media opportunities there are for classical musicians, and of the outlets that do exist, how many of those translate to concert ticket sales? Photographer Jeremy Sachs-Michaels from Union Pool May 24, 2009 (whose stuff turns out to actually be good), you are correct, sir: it is difficult.
Two. This week, we'll be hearing from other NYC-based classical music publicists with whom I have worked to varying degrees. Let whatever record there is show that I have, without exception, found my co-publicists in the city to be supportive and collaborative. I have asked for contacts, sought out advice, and bounced story ideas off them and received feedback without a trace of animosity or competition. So here-we-go...First up is Christina Jensen, who had the unfortunate experience of me shouting about journalists "toeing the line" on our first phone meeting. We worked together when her client ACME performed four Wordless Music shows at the Whitney Museum last summer. That seems like a very long time ago.
_____________________
Christina Jensen officially founded her PR firm in 2007 after working day jobs for six years in marketing, fundraising, and orchestra management at various Boston and New York arts institutions, and moonlighting as a freelance publicist. She played the violin through college and for a little while afterwards, and had brief affairs with the flute and piano. At this moment, she represents 15 classical music clients including André Previn, Simone Dinnerstein, Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center (tours and recordings), Lisa Bielawa, the Chiara and Cypress string quartets, ACME, Jefferson Friedman, and more.
What is the purpose of a press release? And what, in your opinion, is the most important aspect of a press release? How does that element accomplish the purpose?
A press release serves a couple of purposes which I think are equally important, in most cases. An event or concert related release should inform the calendar editor of the answers to the 5 Ws (who, what, where, when, why) in a simple and unfussy manner. For the features editor, freelance writer, or critic who might read further, the release should give some insight into the artist's mission, motivation and personality. A press release should tell the artist's story from the angle that you are emphasizing at that moment in the artist's career.
Similarly, what is the most important aspect of an artist biography? How long should a bio be, ideally? Should it include press quotes? Why or why not?
Again, I think the most important aspect of an artist's biography is his or her personal story, and a description of the projects/repertoire they are currently exploring. Artists need bios in a few different lengths - short, medium and long - for use in program books of different sizes, on the web, in press releases, etc. I think it's fine to include press quotes but I try to pick juicy ones that convey something, rather than just strings of adjectives. I will say that artists' bios, at least for me, are a process of negotiation with the artist and manager. Managers I have worked with tend to want to include more lists than I tend to include when left to my own devices - lists of performance halls, lists of conductors worked with, lists of orchestras soloed with, lists of teachers, lists of concertos played, etc. - which I have been told is helpful in the booking process because it lets presenters know where artists have been, where they're going, and what they can do.
How far in advance of a CD release or concert do you send/e mail press releases? How many times do you usually follow-up journalists after sending the release?
For a CD release, I like to mail promo copies to longer lead magazines four months in advance if I am going for review coverage, and even further in advance if I am hoping for a feature about an artist who may be unfamiliar to the contacts to whom I'm sending the CD. I mail to radio and short leads six to eight weeks or so before the release date. For concerts, I send press releases at six weeks in advance for larger cities like New York with a follow up release for calendars and short leads three weeks in advance. I try to jump on long lead magazines for concerts as well, months in advance. In smaller markets I just do one release at four weeks out. I follow up with journalists twice after sending the press release - three times if I'm particularly keen on a story, just really hopeful, or if they've been out of the office.
In 2009, what do you consider successful coverage for a client's concert? How has the definition of "coverage" changed since you started working in PR? For example, do artist's personal blogs/websites/Twitter feeds count as media coverage?
The definition of successful coverage changes for each of my clients, for each of their concerts. Artists naturally have higher and lower profile performance dates within one city, and you must prioritize which dates you are really going to go for. For a high profile performance, I consider the coverage to be very successful if I can get one or two feature articles placed in print media or on a well-read webzine or blog, event listings preferably with photos in print and online media, a radio interview, possibly a news television interview, a review in the "paper of record," and a couple of reviews in online sources like blogs or webzines. The addition of online media as desirable and valued places for coverage is what has changed most in my time working in PR. I don't think that artists' personal blogs/websites/Twitter feeds count as media coverage, but I do think they can help gain media coverage by providing a personal link to the artist. Also, if someone re-blogs or writes about an artist's blog, I think that might count as coverage - right?
One. Last night at the bar Union Pool in Williamsburg, I received the best response yet to my response to the question, "So what do you do?"
"So what do you do?" "I am a classical music publicist." "That sounds difficult." (The usual response is, "Oh. Cool. What does that mean?") This guy went on to ask what media opportunities there are for classical musicians, and of the outlets that do exist, how many of those translate to concert ticket sales? Photographer Jeremy Sachs-Michaels from Union Pool May 24, 2009 (whose stuff turns out to actually be good), you are correct, sir: it is difficult.
Two. This week, we'll be hearing from other NYC-based classical music publicists with whom I have worked to varying degrees. Let whatever record there is show that I have, without exception, found my co-publicists in the city to be supportive and collaborative. I have asked for contacts, sought out advice, and bounced story ideas off them and received feedback without a trace of animosity or competition. So here-we-go...First up is Christina Jensen, who had the unfortunate experience of me shouting about journalists "toeing the line" on our first phone meeting. We worked together when her client ACME performed four Wordless Music shows at the Whitney Museum last summer. That seems like a very long time ago.
_____________________
Christina Jensen officially founded her PR firm in 2007 after working day jobs for six years in marketing, fundraising, and orchestra management at various Boston and New York arts institutions, and moonlighting as a freelance publicist. She played the violin through college and for a little while afterwards, and had brief affairs with the flute and piano. At this moment, she represents 15 classical music clients including André Previn, Simone Dinnerstein, Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center (tours and recordings), Lisa Bielawa, the Chiara and Cypress string quartets, ACME, Jefferson Friedman, and more.
What is the purpose of a press release? And what, in your opinion, is the most important aspect of a press release? How does that element accomplish the purpose?
A press release serves a couple of purposes which I think are equally important, in most cases. An event or concert related release should inform the calendar editor of the answers to the 5 Ws (who, what, where, when, why) in a simple and unfussy manner. For the features editor, freelance writer, or critic who might read further, the release should give some insight into the artist's mission, motivation and personality. A press release should tell the artist's story from the angle that you are emphasizing at that moment in the artist's career.
Similarly, what is the most important aspect of an artist biography? How long should a bio be, ideally? Should it include press quotes? Why or why not?
Again, I think the most important aspect of an artist's biography is his or her personal story, and a description of the projects/repertoire they are currently exploring. Artists need bios in a few different lengths - short, medium and long - for use in program books of different sizes, on the web, in press releases, etc. I think it's fine to include press quotes but I try to pick juicy ones that convey something, rather than just strings of adjectives. I will say that artists' bios, at least for me, are a process of negotiation with the artist and manager. Managers I have worked with tend to want to include more lists than I tend to include when left to my own devices - lists of performance halls, lists of conductors worked with, lists of orchestras soloed with, lists of teachers, lists of concertos played, etc. - which I have been told is helpful in the booking process because it lets presenters know where artists have been, where they're going, and what they can do.
How far in advance of a CD release or concert do you send/e mail press releases? How many times do you usually follow-up journalists after sending the release?
For a CD release, I like to mail promo copies to longer lead magazines four months in advance if I am going for review coverage, and even further in advance if I am hoping for a feature about an artist who may be unfamiliar to the contacts to whom I'm sending the CD. I mail to radio and short leads six to eight weeks or so before the release date. For concerts, I send press releases at six weeks in advance for larger cities like New York with a follow up release for calendars and short leads three weeks in advance. I try to jump on long lead magazines for concerts as well, months in advance. In smaller markets I just do one release at four weeks out. I follow up with journalists twice after sending the press release - three times if I'm particularly keen on a story, just really hopeful, or if they've been out of the office.
In 2009, what do you consider successful coverage for a client's concert? How has the definition of "coverage" changed since you started working in PR? For example, do artist's personal blogs/websites/Twitter feeds count as media coverage?
The definition of successful coverage changes for each of my clients, for each of their concerts. Artists naturally have higher and lower profile performance dates within one city, and you must prioritize which dates you are really going to go for. For a high profile performance, I consider the coverage to be very successful if I can get one or two feature articles placed in print media or on a well-read webzine or blog, event listings preferably with photos in print and online media, a radio interview, possibly a news television interview, a review in the "paper of record," and a couple of reviews in online sources like blogs or webzines. The addition of online media as desirable and valued places for coverage is what has changed most in my time working in PR. I don't think that artists' personal blogs/websites/Twitter feeds count as media coverage, but I do think they can help gain media coverage by providing a personal link to the artist. Also, if someone re-blogs or writes about an artist's blog, I think that might count as coverage - right?
Continue reading Christina Jensen, Christina Jensen PR.
About
Life's a Pitch Why don't we apply the successful marketing and publicity campaigns we see in our everyday lives to the performing arts? Great ideas are right there, ripe for the emulating. And who's responsible for the wide-reaching problems in ticket sales and audience development? Boring artists? Greedy managers? Overstretched marketing departments? We're beyond debating who owns the problem. Let's fix this thing.
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Amanda Ameer left her position as Publicity Manager at IMG Artists in June 2007 to start First Chair Promotion. She currently represents Hilary Hahn, Gabriel Kahane, The King's Singers, David Lang, Eric Owens, Michael Gordon, Hélène Grimaud, Sondra Radvanovsky and Julia Wolfe, and serves as a consultant to Chamber Music America.
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Amanda Ameer left her position as Publicity Manager at IMG Artists in June 2007 to start First Chair Promotion. She currently represents Hilary Hahn, Gabriel Kahane, The King's Singers, David Lang, Eric Owens, Michael Gordon, Hélène Grimaud, Sondra Radvanovsky and Julia Wolfe, and serves as a consultant to Chamber Music America.
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Contact Click here to send an email. more
Subscribe to the Newsletter Fill in your email address here.
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Sites
Now Play It
This site has musicians teaching viewers how to play their most popular songs on the guitar via downloadable video. more
This site has musicians teaching viewers how to play their most popular songs on the guitar via downloadable video.
MOMA - Eye on Europe
This microsite for one of MOMA's 2006 exhibitions is a(n extreme) lesson in what can be done digitally for special projects (world premieres?).
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This microsite for one of MOMA's 2006 exhibitions is a(n extreme) lesson in what can be done digitally for special projects (world premieres?).
The Metropolitan Opera
Sometimes, when the (performing arts) world gets me down, I go to The Met's website and feel better about it all.
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Sometimes, when the (performing arts) world gets me down, I go to The Met's website and feel better about it all.
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AJ Blogs
AJBlogCentral | rssculture
About Last Night
Terry Teachout on the arts in New York City
Terry Teachout on the arts in New York City
Artful Manager
Andrew Taylor on the business of arts & culture
Andrew Taylor on the business of arts & culture
blog riley
rock culture approximately
rock culture approximately
critical difference
Laura Collins-Hughes on arts, culture and coverage
Laura Collins-Hughes on arts, culture and coverage
Dewey21C
Richard Kessler on arts education
Richard Kessler on arts education
diacritical
Douglas McLennan's blog
Douglas McLennan's blog
Dog Days
Dalouge Smith advocates for the Arts
Dalouge Smith advocates for the Arts
Flyover
Art from the American Outback
Art from the American Outback
Life's a Pitch
For immediate release: the arts are marketable
For immediate release: the arts are marketable
Mind the Gap
No genre is the new genre
No genre is the new genre
Performance Monkey
David Jays on theatre and dance
David Jays on theatre and dance
Plain English
Paul Levy measures the Angles
Paul Levy measures the Angles
Real Clear Arts
Judith H. Dobrzynski on Culture
Judith H. Dobrzynski on Culture
Rockwell Matters
John Rockwell on the arts
John Rockwell on the arts
Straight Up |
Jan Herman - arts, media & culture with 'tude
Jan Herman - arts, media & culture with 'tude
dance
Foot in Mouth
Apollinaire Scherr talks about dance
Apollinaire Scherr talks about dance
Seeing Things
Tobi Tobias on dance et al...
Tobi Tobias on dance et al...
jazz
Jazz Beyond Jazz
Howard Mandel's freelance Urban Improvisation
Howard Mandel's freelance Urban Improvisation
ListenGood
Focus on New Orleans. Jazz and Other Sounds
Focus on New Orleans. Jazz and Other Sounds
Rifftides
Doug Ramsey on Jazz and other matters...
Doug Ramsey on Jazz and other matters...
media
Out There
Jeff Weinstein's Cultural Mixology
Jeff Weinstein's Cultural Mixology
Serious Popcorn
Martha Bayles on Film...
Martha Bayles on Film...
classical music
Creative Destruction
Fresh ideas on building arts communities
Fresh ideas on building arts communities
The Future of Classical Music?
Greg Sandow performs a book-in-progress
Greg Sandow performs a book-in-progress
On the Record
Exploring Orchestras w/ Henry Fogel
Exploring Orchestras w/ Henry Fogel
Overflow
Harvey Sachs on music, and various digressions
Harvey Sachs on music, and various digressions
PianoMorphosis
Bruce Brubaker on all things Piano
Bruce Brubaker on all things Piano
PostClassic
Kyle Gann on music after the fact
Kyle Gann on music after the fact
Sandow
Greg Sandow on the future of Classical Music
Greg Sandow on the future of Classical Music
Slipped Disc
Norman Lebrecht on Shifting Sound Worlds
Norman Lebrecht on Shifting Sound Worlds
publishing
book/daddy
Jerome Weeks on Books
Jerome Weeks on Books
Quick Study
Scott McLemee on books, ideas & trash-culture ephemera
Scott McLemee on books, ideas & trash-culture ephemera
theatre
Drama Queen
Wendy Rosenfield: covering drama, onstage and off
Wendy Rosenfield: covering drama, onstage and off
lies like truth
Chloe Veltman on how culture will save the world
Chloe Veltman on how culture will save the world
visual
Aesthetic Grounds
Public Art, Public Space
Public Art, Public Space
Another Bouncing Ball
Regina Hackett takes her Art To Go
Regina Hackett takes her Art To Go
Artopia
John Perreault's art diary
John Perreault's art diary
CultureGrrl
Lee Rosenbaum's Cultural Commentary
Lee Rosenbaum's Cultural Commentary
Modern Art Notes
Tyler Green's modern & contemporary art blog
Tyler Green's modern & contemporary art blog
